Spam Status & Anti-Spam Schemes in Taiwan

Spam Status & Anti-Spam Schemes in Taiwan Taiwan Network Information Center David Chen David@twnic.net.tw Sep 5, 2002

Outline • The Effect of Spam • Current Anti-Spam Strategies • ASTF • The Obstacles of Schemes

The Effect of Spam (1) • Net Consumers Association Taiwan made a public opinion poll report • 1/3 people spend 10 mins to handle spam every day • Over 70% people feel annoyed • 75% people say they don’t want to receive spam any more • 90% people think it’s unfair to share the cost of spam including ISP • 2/3 people in favor of introducing appropriate law, the other third say it’s not necessary

The Effect of Spam (2) • The Cost of Spam • End user • US$1,830 Million a year • Waste of internet resources, waiting time and mail server crush • ISP • Wasting bandwidth cost US$8 Million a year • Hardware renew, Software develop and maintainer’s cost can’t evaluate Source : http://www.net080.com.tw/stand/junk_mail_press.htm

Taiwan IP blocked list in spam.dnsrbl.net (RBL) Blocked IP : 1,008,354 Total IP : 11,455,744 Aug.15, 2002

The Effect of Spam (4) • IP blocked rate of the 3 major Taiwan ISPs Aug.15, 2002

The Effect of Spam (5) • Top ISPs with blocked IP Aug.15, 2002

Current Anti-Spam strategies (1) • ISP Network Administrator • Set up the channel for complainants • Educate and announce anti-spam policies • Close open relay function on the mail server • Filter outgoing spam on the Router or Mail Server temporarily • Block incoming spam on the Router or Mail server temporarily • Manage and log dynamic IP user behavior • Terminate spamers’ connections

Current Anti-Spam strategies(2) • Mail Server Administrator • Filter outgoing and block incoming Spam • Self-detect open relay function • Instruction refer to http://spam.gsnmm.gov.tw • Close open relay function • Instruction refer to http://mail-abuse.org/tsi/ar-fix.html • User • Filter mails • Delete mails

Current Anti-Spam strategies(3) • TWNIC Anti-Spam Plan • Filtering IP or domain name on Router port:25 Temporarily • Using mail server procmail function to check spam pattern in procmailrc.spam file • Using mail server access.db function to filter IP or domain name • Setting up mail server sendmail.cf to check sender’s IP ON LINE through DNS query

Current Anti-Spam strategies(4) • Using RBL DNS • Check Spam List • Spam.dnsrbl.net • Blackholes.mail-abuse.org • Rsbl.aupads.org • Tbl.maps.vix.com • Check Dial Up IP List • Duinv.aupads.org • Dul.maps.vix.com • Check Open Relay List • Orvedb.aupads.org • Relays.mail-abuse.org • Relays.orbs.org

ASTF (1) • Anti-Spam Task Force (ASTF) • established by TWNIC on June 2002 • Free membership • Encourage all major ISPs to join • Goals • To reduce spam • To protect users from Getting SPAM • To educate users NOT spamming and filtering • To coordinate ISPs and jointly find out the solution • No more blocked IP from Taiwan

ASTF (2) • Implementation • Promote Anti-Spam awareness • Setup WEB sites http://spam.886.info • Seek new technology or mechanism • Create tw-anti-spam mail list for ASTF members

ASTF (3) • Discussing Topics in the mailing list • Do we need a new TW-RBL ? • It’s still a controversial issue • Should we build a RT System to track SPAM complaints ? • Most of members say Yes • Do we need to build a WEB site for publishing anti-spam knowledge how to handle spam ? • Yes, It’s under construction • Do we need to create a review procedure to determine and deal with spamers IP ? • Yes, but not now

ASTF (4) • Management and Law • Management regulation for Government Service Network, GSN • Legislating “Electronic advertisement mail management law” draft to against spam • Clarify sender message • Permitted by receiver in advance • Against unfair network cost to end user • Restrict advertise mail usage • Indemnity to victim

The Obstacles of Schemes • Defining Spam criteria is difficult • Small group of people like Spam • ISPs may lose some customers • ISPs may not apply the new RBLs • Legislation is a long process

Thank You

Spam Status & Anti-Spam Schemes in Taiwan